Clock mechanism



s; PERDI CLOCK MECHANISM Filed Oct. 17, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 N\/ ENTOR Jim e12 zqs'rdz' ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 16, 1924.

UNITED STATES STEVEN PERDI, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CLOCK MECHANISM.

Application filed Gctober 1'7, 1923.

1 '0 all whom 2'25 may concern.

Be it known that I, STEVEN PERDI, a citizen of Hungary, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clock Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates generally to clocks, the invention having for an object the provision of a novel means for actuating the mechanism for striking the hours or fractions thereof, this mechanism being so arranged as to eliminate the need of winding up a separate spring for actuating the hammers.

A further object of the invention relates to the provision of a novel control means whereby other electrically operated clocks are caused to run in synchronism with a master clock.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to-the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

Fig. 1 of the drawings is a front elevational view showing the mechanism of my improved clock.

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a rear view.

Fig. 1 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on the line 4% of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view showing one of the devices for actuating the hammers and the electrical control means, this view being taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a diagram of the wiring circuits.

Referring now to the drawing the reference numerals 10 and 11 indicate ordinary frame plates which are united by the hori zontal posts 12 in the usual manner. Journaled in these plates is a winding shaft 1 1 which has mounted thereon a drum 15 over which passes a cord or wire 16 to the lower end of which an ordinary weight 17 is suspended. The usual ratchet mechanism, indicated generally at 15, is applied to this drum as will be understood. Fixed to the drum 15 is a large gear 18 which drives the usual clock mechanism, or movement, which is indicated generally at 19.

This gear 18 also serves to tension the hour striking means, and the means through which the clock acts as a master clock to con- Serial N0. 663,973.

trol other electrically driven clocks. Referring first to the hour striking means a hammer is carried by an arm 26 fixed on one end of a shaft 2! extending through and supported by the plates 10 and 11, the bell which this hammer strikes not being shown. Fixed to the shaft 2''? is a finger 27 which is engaged successively by pins 27 on a gear 60, to be later referred to, on a shaft 61. its the pins 27 engage the finger 27 the hammer is moved backward, being thrown forward by a spring 26. The gear meshes with a pinion 62 fixed on another shaft Supported above the shaft 27 is a shaft 29 which carries a stop arm 29 normally engaging a pin 29 on a gear 29 also fixed to the shaft 63. Upon the opposite end of the shaft 29 is fixed a pawl 29 which bears against a ratchet segment 80 on an arm 81 pivoted as at 32 to the plate 10 and having a counterweighted extension 30 which does not quite balance the arm, the pawl being caused to bear against the ratchet segment 30 by means of a spring 33 engaged with the hammer arm 26. Fixed to a gear 36 which drives the shaft of the hour hand is a pin 38 which is adapted, at each revolution of said shaft, to engage and lift an arm 39 pivoted as at 0 to the plate 10,

this arm being adapted in turn to engage a pin 41 on the pawl 29 and lift the latter from the ratchet 30. When the pawl 29, which normally engages under the lower end of the ratchet segment 80, is lifted, the segment swings downward, the extent of downward movement being determined by the en gagement of a pin 43 on an extension 31' from the arm 31 with a spirally curved disk ate on the hour hand shaft so as to cause the hammer 25 to strike the proper number of times, the segment 30 being swung upward step by step, or one tooth at a time, as the hammer strikes until it has been returned to its normal position, by a novel means to be presently described.

This novel means consists of a short drum 50 which is loose on a shaft 51 extending between and supported by the plates 10 and 11, and has coiled therein a spiral spring 52 which has one end fastened to the drum 50 and the other end fastened to the said shaft 51. Fixed to the drum 50 is a gear 54 which meshes with the gear 55 on the shaft 61, the gear 55 meshing in turn with a. pinion 62 on a shaft 63, the shaft 63 having a short finger 58 thereon which engages the ratchet segment 30 at every revolution of the shaft 57 and lifts it the space of one tooth, the pawl 29 riding backward over the ratchet segment 30. Fixed to the shaft 51 is a pinion 59 which meshes with the large gear 18.

The relative sizes of the gear 18 and pinion 59 are such that in the space of time when the hammer is at rest, the spring 52 will receive sufficient tensioning to actuate the hammer six times, the tension of the spring thus gradually increasing and decreasing through the cycle of twelve hours.

Referring now more particularly to the electrical control means whereby the clock may be used as a master clock to control other electrically operated clocks, this comprises a base element 65 which is fixed as by the screws 66 to the plate 10 at one side of the latter and which has mounted thereon three contact fingers which project in a general direction toward the centre of the said plate. Of these lingers, the intern'iediate one 67 is rigid, while the side ones 68, 69 are in the form of flat springs which normally rest in contact with the intermediate member 67. In the ordinary operation of electrically driven clocks the current must be reversed each time the mechanism is actuated and these fingers 68, 69 therefore are adapted to be alternately moved into engagement with opposite legs of a forked contact member 70 on the plate 10 by means of a finger 71 which is located between the said contact fingers and is fixed on a shaft 72 arranged to make one rotation for every two impulses given the electrically operated clock.

The shaft 72 on which the finger 71 is fixed, receives rotation from a second drum 50 which resembles in all respects the drum 50 before described this drum being loose on a shaft 51 on which is a pinion engaging with the large gear 18, the drum 50 having a gear 54 fixed thereon which engages a pinion 75 on another shaft '76 on which is a gear 77 meshing with a pinion 78 on the shaft 72, providing a train of multiplying gears consisting of the pinions 76 and gears 77, this train of gears driving a pinion at a rate of speed to advance the space of one tooth for every rotation of shaft 72. Fixed to shaft 72 is a double armed detent 7 9 which is adapted to engage, at each half revolution of the shaft 72, a toothed wheel 80 on a shaft 81 which is rotated at a speed of two revolutions a minute from the second hand shaft 82 of the clock through the gear 83 and pinion 84 fixed respectively to said shafts S1 and 82. This toothed wheel acts as an escapement to allow a half-rotation of shaft 72 at the proper intervals.

The electrical connections are indicated in. Fig. (3 the actuating coil of the electrically driven clock being indicated at 85. From opposite ends of this coil the wires 86 and 87 respectively, lead to the spring contacts 68 and 69. From the fixed contact 67 a wire 88 leads to a battery 89, and from the latter a wire 90 leads to the forked contact 70. In the operation of the clock, when the rotating finger 71 engages for instance the spring contact 68 and moves it away from the intermediate contact 67 and into engagement with the forked contact 70 the flow of current is from battery through wire 90, contact 70, spring contact 68, wire 86, clock coil wire 8?, spring contact 69, and wire 88 back to battery. Since the spring contacts are connected respectively to opposite ends of the clock coil 85 it follows that the direction of current fiow through the latter will be reversed as the finger T1 alternately moves said contacts into engagement with the fixed contact 70. Should electrically driven clocks get out of synchronism with the master clock, by accidental stopping of the first named clock, it may be advanced by hand b means of a finger 92 projecting from a blocli 93 pivoted to the plate 10 and having a handle 94 fixed thereto whereby it may be rocked, a flat spring 95 hearing on the side of this block to hold the latter in with the pin 92 in neutral position.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:

1. In a clock, control means for an electrically driven clock comprising a fixed contact finger, spring contact fingers on each side of said fixed finger and normally engaged therewith a rotary shaft, a finger on said shaft adapted to lift said spring contacts alternately out of engagement with said fixed. contact, a power device for the clock movement, and means whereby said shaft is driven by the said power device.

2. In a clock, control means for an electrically driven clock comprising a fixed contact finger, spring contact fingers on each side of said fixed finger and normally engaged therewith, a rotary shaft, a finger on said shaft adapted to lift said spring contacts alternately out of engagement with said fixed contact, a power device for the clock movement, and means whereby said shaft is driven by the said power device, said means including a spring having an operative connection with said power device whereby it is tensioned by the latter.

3. In a clock, control means for an electrically driven clock comprising a fixed contact linger, spring contact fingers on each side of said fixed finger and normally engaged therewith, a rotary shaft, a finger on said shaft adapted to lift said spring contacts alternately out of engagement with said fixed contact, a power device for the clock movement, and means whereby said shaft is driven by the said power device, and a manually operable element for alternately lifting Jim.

said spring contacts away from said fixed contacts.

4:. In a clock, control means for an electrically driven clock comprising a fixed contact finger, spring contact fingers on each side of said fixed finger and normally engaged therewith, a rotary shaft, a finger on said shaft adapted to lift said spring contacts alternately out of engagement with said fixed contact, a power device for the clock movement, and means whereby said shaft is driven by the said power device, and a manually operable element for alternately lifting said spring contacts away from said fixed contacts, said manually operable device, including a pivoted finger, and a handle fixed thereto.

5. In a clock, control means for an electrically driven clock comprising a fixed contact finger, spring contact fingers on each side of said fixed finger and normally engaged therewith, a rotary shaft, a finger on said shaft adapted to lift said spring contacts alternately out of engagement with said fixed contact, a power device for the clock movement, and means whereby said shaft is driven by the said power device, and a manually operable element for alternately lifting said spring contacts away from said fixed contacts, said manually operable device, including a pivoted finger, and a handle fixed thereto, and a spring element retaining said pivoted finger in neutral position.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature.

STEVEN PERDI. 

